In proper social networking terms, Bing “likes” Facebook. A lot, in fact, so much that it is trying to stay ahead of Google’s social search plans by bringing the Facebook power to its own search results.

Basically, if you’re logged into Facebook and you use Bing, the search results will vary based on the likes of your friends. It’s social searching, folks.

The site has used the Like feature since last year, using content that a Facebook user has “Liked” to find relevant results. Microsoft has stated that they will be using these social features more often in the future.

This will allow them gain “collective IQ” highlighting articles that members of Facebook “Like.” They also intend on using a feature they call “conversational search.” This again will use Facebook as a source allowing Bing users to type a query and be directed to their relevant friends.

According to Bing’s research, 90 percent of people seek advice from family and friends to help fuel their decision making, something cited as the “Friend Effect.” Essentially, Bing wanted to harness this effect into their search results to further help you, the user, make a decision faster.

“New features make it easier to see what your Facebook friends “like” across the Web, incorporate the collective know-how of the Web into your search results, and begin adding a more conversational aspect to your searches. Decisions can now be made with more than facts, now the opinions of your trusted friends and the collective wisdom of the Web,” writes the Bing team on their blog.

Facebook and Bing announced their integration last year, with the initial result being the display of links ‘liked' by your Facebook friends when you do a search. This new feature is phase two of that integration.

Facebook is becoming increasingly prominent on Bing while, on many Google searches, you'll see pertinent links that have been retweeted by one of the people you follow on Twitter. Social has been the big thing in the Internet space for a while now and the looks like being a key battleground as Bing tries to take search market share from Google.

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